Need guidance on your college application essay?
I can help you:
- begin brainstorming about your values
- identify possible ideas to explore in your essay and possible approaches
- narrow your choice of topic
- develop your ideas
- plan, structure, and draft a compelling essay
- edit for flow, effective word choice, grammar, variety and voice
- proofread a polished essay ready to submit
I also assist students with their supplemental essays. Most schools require at least one, and some have several with very specific word counts. Be sure to give these thorough attention and not leave them until the last minute!
When can we meet?
The earlier the better!
I can help at any stage of the process up to a week before the application date.
The ideal time to start thinking about your main college application essay is in the summer between 11th and 12th grade when you don’t have the demands of schoolwork.
If you plan to submit your applications by November 1, reach out before October to get started!
After October 20, I can help only with revisions to existing essays or with supplemental essays, not with brainstorming or generation of content for the main essay.
Update for 2024:
Limited spots remain for the following windows:
- July 15 through August 9
- August 20 through September 24
Prices rise and availability decreases September 24 through October 31.
Where? How?
I offer in-person tutoring in Arlington, Alexandria City, and Falls Church as well as tutoring via Zoom and phone.
Higher rates apply for students seeking in-person tutoring in Fairfax County, Washington DC, Prince George’s County, or Montgomery County.
I focus on helping you feel comfortable and confident about your accomplishments and the way you are introducing yourself to prospective colleges.
My approach is to meet students where they are with compassion while helping them feel confident as writers.
Group workshops
Summer and early fall group workshops can be designed and scheduled for your individual group.
The basic group option is a one-day event of 4.5-5 hours — morning and afternoon sessions with a break for lunch — that will establish a strong foundation for writing the essay.
It is a great starting point for anyone, whether they are reluctant and undecided about college or excited about college but not sure how to write about themselves.
If desired, we can expand the group workshop and
- spread out the two sessions over different days
- schedule additional sessions
- to include more writing and revision time, and/or
- to include peer review
Email me to discuss the specific needs of your group!
Discounts!
- Anyone taking a group workshop is entitled discounted rates for individual tutoring.
- Typically students want one-on-one feedback on their essays for one or more sessions after the workshop and often also want help with supplemental essays.
Why get help?
Approaching the college essay can be daunting! Students I’ve worked with say they emerge from our collaboration feeling clearer about their values and goals and more confident about their writing in general. Even those who’ve started working on their main essay in composition class have had aha moments in our sessions that have led to stronger storytelling and a more authentic voice.
For those who haven’t started thinking about topics yet, my jump-start group workshop will give them a stellar foundation from which to build their essay.
In individual tutoring, it’s helpful for students to have the undivided attention of one person who is not their parent or teacher to look at the whole picture of the student. Together we can consider what to include in the main essay and what else to highlight in the supplemental essays. We’ll take it all into account!
Students I’ve worked with have gotten into MIT, Stanford, University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins, University of Florida, Purdue, James Madison University and George Mason University.
How much?
Email haneyjessicaclaire (at) gmail (dot) com to request a current rate sheet.
My general Tutoring page for more information on rate ranges.
With 8 years teaching experience and 16+ years experience as a writing tutor, my rates are competitive for tutors in the DC area for general writing tutoring but lower than comprehensive college coaches.